Scripture Reading: Phil. 4:11-13
Ⅰ
The subject of the book of Philippians is the experience of Christ in every kind of circumstance—1:19-21a; 2:5; 3:9-10; 4:11-13.
Ⅱ
In Philippians 4 Christ is the secret and the power for us to enjoy; we know the secret, and we have the power—vv. 12-13.
Ⅲ
Paul had learned the secret of sufficiency, of satisfaction, of contentment; this secret is actually Christ Himself—vv. 11-12:
A
In any environment and in any matter, Paul, who experienced Christ richly and abundantly, learned the secret to be content and to rejoice always—v. 4.
B
According to the book of Philippians as a whole, the secret Paul learned was simply Christ; Paul took Christ as the secret to experience Christ, being content and rejoicing in any situation and in any matter because of Christ.
C
Paul had not only learned a secret; he had been initiated and had learned certain basic principles—v. 12:
１
Paul had been initiated both into the proper Christian life and into the proper church life.
２
After Paul was converted to Christ, he was initiated into Christ and into the Body of Christ—Acts 9:3-19, 25-28; 22:6-21; 13:1-4:
ａ
He was initiated into the basic principles of Christ and the church.
ｂ
He learned the secret of how to take Christ as life (Col. 3:4), how to live Christ (Phil. 1:21a), how to magnify Christ (v. 20), how to gain Christ (3:8, 12), and how to have the church life (1:8, 19; 2:1-4, 19-20; 4:1-3).
D
When we are saved and come into the church, the Body of Christ, we need to be initiated by learning certain basic principles—1 Tim. 3:15-16:
１
We are initiated in Christ, with Christ, and by Christ; because Christ is our secret, we know how to face any kind of situation.
２
Because the church has a mysterious aspect, we need to be initiated by learning certain basic principles—Eph. 3:3, 9; 5:32.
３
The secret of the Body is to take Christ as our life, to live Christ, to pursue Christ, to gain Christ, to magnify Christ, and to express Christ; these are the basic principles of the church, the Body of Christ—Rom. 12:4-5.
E
In everything refers to a particular time when we experience a certain thing of the Lord; in all things refers to a broad range of experiences over time—Phil. 4:12:
１
Paul could say that both on a particular occasion and on all occasions, both at a certain time and throughout the course of his life, he had learned the secret.
２
Paul experienced Christ moment by moment:
ａ
He experienced Christ in particular things at particular times.
ｂ
He experienced Christ in all things and at all times.
Ⅳ
In verse 13 we have a basic principle related to Paul's secret of sufficiency in Christ: "I can do all things in Him who empowers me":
A
The secret in Philippians 4 is to do all things in Christ—John 15:4a, 5:
１
Whatever we do should be done in Christ, not in ourselves; this is the secret Paul learned and the secret we need to learn today.
２
It is sufficient for us to be in Christ, for He is all-inclusive.
３
The way to experience Christ is to do everything in Him.
４
If we do all things in Christ, we shall experience Christ, enjoy Christ, and accumulate Christ; this is the way to become rich in Christ and to have many rich experiences of Christ—Eph. 3:8.
５
The issue of practicing the secret of being in Christ is that for us to live is Christ; because we do all things in Christ, we live Christ—Phil. 1:21.
B
Paul's word in 4:13 is an all-inclusive and concluding word on his experience of Christ:
１
Paul was a person in Christ, and he desired to be found by others in Christ—2 Cor. 12:2; Phil. 3:9.
２
In 4:13 he declared that, being in Christ, he could do all things in Him, the very Christ who empowered him; this was his secret.
３
As a person in Christ, Paul experienced Christ and applied Him in all circumstances—vv. 11-12:
ａ
Paul applied the Christ in whom he could be found—3:9.
ｂ
This Christ is real, living, near, available, and prevailing—4:5b.
C
To be empowered is to be made dynamic inwardly—v. 13:
１
Christ dwells in us, and He empowers us, makes us dynamic, from within, not from without—Col. 1:27.
２
By such an inward empowering Paul could do all things in Christ.
D
Paul's word about Christ as the empowering One specifically applies to Christ's empowering us to live Him as our human virtues and thereby to magnify Him in His unlimited greatness—Phil. 4:8-13:
１
The application of verse 13 is limited by the context of verses 8 through 13.
２
By the empowering of Christ we can live a contented life and be true, honorable, righteous, pure, lovely, and well spoken of—vv. 11-12, 8.
３
To live a life of these virtues is much more difficult than doing a Christian work.
４
We are persons in Christ, who empowers us to live out every kind of virtue; this is to live Christ and to magnify Him in His virtues—1:20-21a.
E
If we would experience Christ as the empowering One, we need to let Him live in us (Gal. 2:20), be formed in us (4:19), make His home in us (Eph. 3:17a), and be magnified in us (Phil. 1:20):
１
If we fail to do these things, Christ will not have the way to empower us.
２
When Christ lives in us, is formed in us, makes His home in us, and is magnified in us, the way is prepared for Him to empower us; then, empowered by the indwelling Christ, we shall be able to do all things spoken of in 4:8-12.